Desk lock



B, G. RND 1,928,265

DESK LOCK Sept. 26, 1933.

Filed April 22, 19:50

Patented Sept. 26, 1933 Y DESK LOCK` Benjamin'G. Rand, North Tonawanda, N. Y., v

assignor to Remington Rand Inc., Buffalo,

Applicata@ April zz, 1930. serial No. 446,342

5 Claims.

This invention relates to a locking mechanism for desks or similar furniture wherein the locking of a number of drawers is controlled by a single means.

Locking mechanisms now in use on the pedestal types of ofce desk are usually controlled from the central drawer which contains or actuates suitable mechanism tosimultaneously lock or unlock all of the drawers of a desk. This invention particularly comprehends improvements in lock- 'ing mechanisms which are controlled by the lock of the central drawer and concerns the provision of a simple mechanism characterized by its easy accessibility for! repair and in its small number of parts in which the use of springs has been entirely eliminated. This has been accomplished by providing a center drawer lock, which acts to directly lock vall the Ydrawers when in a .locked position and to pre-set the pedestal drawers for automatic unlocking when in an unlocked position. This principle of operation has permitted anextremely simple structure which is more fully described in the `specification and the accom- Panyng l In the drawing: `Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front elevation of the drawer locking mechanism in which the desk structure is shown in phantom view.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line v2---2 of Fig. 1

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation ofthe lock of the central drawer. Y f Y Fig. 4 is a section taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2 with portions omitted for convenience in illustration.

Fig. 5 lis a section on theline 5-5 of Fig. 3.

In the specicationthe numeral 1 indicates a conventional type of desk equipped with a top 2, pedestals 3 having drawers 4 therein, and `a central drawer 5; For convenience of illustration the desk is shown of a sheet metal construction, although it will be understood that the locking principle hereinafter disclosed may be utilized on any type vof desk or equipment in which the locking of drawers is concerned. The desk shown is provided with outer leg members 6 and inner leg members 7. The outer and inner leg members on each pedestal are secured thereto by sheetV The drawers 41o! fthe pedestal are slidably mounted therein in spaced relation to said partition. The central drawer 5.is similarly mounted and extends between the inner legs 7. The front of the central drawer is equipped with a tubular sleeve 12 which is shouldered at 13 land extends through the front of theV drawer,` and is rotatably mounted therein. The end of .the sleeve within the drawer is slotted at 14 for purposes hereinafter described, and also contains a concentric bore 15 and a counterbored portion at one extremity of saidbore lThe sleeve is Aalso provided with a depending handle 17 which extends downwardly from the protruding portion thereof. The bore of the sleeve is adapted to receive and retain alock 18, comprising a barrel 19 having a key slot 19' and an enlarged shoulder portion 20 which `engages the vcounterbore portion of the sleeve,

thus preventing outward removal of the lock.`

The inner end of the lock is provided with a pin 21 which protrudes therefrom and extends through the vertical slot` 22 of the rectangular bolt 23 which is slidably mounted within the slot 14 of the sleeve 12. The bolt is* retained in said slot by p a cover vmember 25 which i ssecured overv the slot of the sleeve bythe -screws 26. These. screws also secure the bearing lplate 27 to theV cover member. The bearing plateiis a rectangular` member ,having a lip portion l28 extending from either side thereof and `having a' stud 29 riveted thereto in the central portion thereof. The stud 29 acts .as a reary bearing member for the entire lock assembly by being received by the bearing panel 30 of the lock housing. The lock housing is a sheet metal stamping secured to the back of the drawer and having at top and bottom extending supporting portions-31 which extend beyond the lock assembly and contain aligned` slots 32. The bearing panelV previously described contains offset end portions which enter suchsl'ots and are prevented .from removal therefrom by the pin 33 which extends through the projecting portion of the-stud 29. The housing is also provided with a side leg 35 containing a `lock slot 36 in horizontal alignment ywith the bolt 23 of the lock.

As shown in Fig. 3,fwhen the sleeve is turned by actuation of the handle 17 the entire lock assembly is carried 'with it and rotates within the housing to the position shown in dottedv lines at 37. When it is desired to lock this assembly against such rotation, the handle is moved to its perpendicular position and the key is inserted in Athe lock 18 which is turned, thus moving the pin 21 to its position to the right, .(Fig. 2), and simultaneously actuating the bolt 23 for movement tothe right where it enters into the slot 36 of the housing, thus preventing arcuate movement of the lock assembly.

The rod 38 having a bifurcated end 39 provided with alinged openings is pivotally attached to each of the lip portions of the plate 27 by the rivets 40. The other end of eachrod projects through opposite sidesV of the drawer through suitable apertures 41 and the projectingl end is beveled at 42. Thus, when the handle of the lock is turned, the rods 38 are either simulta-' neously withdrawn to the position shown in dot-- ted lines of Figure 2 at 43 or extended tothe position indicated in full Vlines ofisuchyew. These rods act as lockingboltsifor the central drawer and also as actuators for the pedestal drawer locking standard hereinafterV described.'l

The drawers in each pedestal are provided with a single locking mechanism which comprises a standard or locking .bar 45' which is mounted vertically in each pedestal between vthe flanges 9 Yof the innerl partition. This-member is adapted for rotary movement and is journalledV in vthe journal boxes 46 fandj47 which are secured to the upper vend lower flanges'of the inner panels. Locking fingers 48fare attached to the standard and extend laterally therefrom at spaced inter-A vals. 'These' members Vare preferably of heavy sheet metaland are secured within the recess portions 49 of the'standard and extend toward the drawers. Alever arm 50 isattach'ed t-o the standard near its upper extremity and extends at substantially right angles to the locking ngers and is provided witha hole 51 near its free end. The -opposite side of the inner panel is providedowith a@ horizontally arranged bracket 52 upon which is mounted a bell crank 53 by the stud 54. VThe 'arm55'jof1the bell 'crank is cut away at 56 to fit around the corner of the leg '7 of the inner `partition and projects therethrough in closeproximity to the lever 50 land 'contains a hole 60 at vits extremity. The arm y58and lthe lever 50 are' `connected by a link l61 containing depending portions 62 which enter upon and are secured through the holes of each member. The bell crank is adapted for` slight horizontal angular movement y as shown'inFigure 2 from the dotted position therein indicated to the position shown in lfull lines. Upon such movement the bell crank will actuate the vstandard for a rotary movement of about 30 Aas 'shown at r63.

The 'inner side wall of each pedestal 'drawer is provided with a spring dog 65 which Yis arranged in y position 'opposite the locking ngers These members have Asuflicient resiliency so that when the 'drawer .is moved from an open'positon to a vclosed position'the enjd Aof the spring dogs will slide under `the locking fingers and vthen spring 'open to a locking position.

v VIn operation, whenthe lockis vsecured and the drawer'sgare closed, an inter-connected locking mechanism results wherein the locked rods 38 are intheir extended position and .are received in the slot 57 Yin the arm .55 ofthe bell crank Theopposite arm 58 of the bellcrank through the link 61 .prevents counter-clockwise .movement of the standard whereby upon any ypull -ony any of thepedestal drawers, the dogs 65 .by .engaging uponV `the :locking .flanges are prevented ,from .re-

wise direction and is pre-set for unlocking. Ac-

tuation of any one of the pedestal drawers subsequent to this operation will result in its spring dog"65 turning the standard in a counter-clockwise direction and carrying the bell crank lever withitto an unlocked position.

What is claimed'is:

1. lnadesk drawer-lock, the combination with av desk having a plurality of drawers arranged in Afa pedestal, and a center drawer adjacent said pedestal,v of a locking bar rotatably mounted in saidpedestal and having laterally vextending fin,- gers Vattached thereto, a rhandle on said central drawer, a 'rod operatively connected theretoffor outward V movement through the side of said drawer, a hbell crank lever rotatably mounted on thedesk and actuated by said rod, and means connectingisaid bell crank lever with said locking bar whereby upon actuation of said bell crank lever said locking bar will be rotated toa locked position, and .dogs attached to said pedestal drawers and engaging said yfingers on said locking bar when said locking bar is in a lockedposition.

' 2. In a desk Vdrawer lock, the combination with a desk having a plurality of drawers arranged `in a pedestal, of a rotatable locking bar vertically mounted adjacent said drawer within said pedestal and adapted for rotarymovement, spaced rigid fingers attached thereto, dogs on said drawers arranged opposite said fingers, each dog comprising a strip member secured to a drawer and'having 'a resilient portion `extending therefrom to contact withA a nger, vand means for locking said bar in a xed position.

, 3. .In ,a desk drawer lock, the combination with a 'deskqhaving a plurality of pedestal drawers iis and a central drawer, of a locking mechanism for said pedestal drawers comprising a rotatable locking bar mounted in said pedestal and having laterally'extending ngers thereon, a rod extending through said central drawer, means on` said central `drawer for selectively moving said rod to one`of ltwo positions, means 4connectingsaid rod to saidlocking bar for actuation thereof to a fixed position, and dogs upon said pedestal drawers adapted to engage said 'fingers on said locking bar whensaid locking bar is in a flxedposition..

,4,In i'a desk drawer lock, the combination with a desk having a'plurality of'pedestal drawers anda centraldrawer, of a rotatable locking bar mounted adjacent said pedestal drawers and having laterally extending ngers'thereon, a spring dog oneach of said pedestal drawers adapted for operation therewith, said drawers being adapted to be closed when the locking bar is in locked position,rsaid resilient dogs engaging said rigid ngers during such closing operation and being cammed to depressed position thereby, said fingers springing to normal position when beyond the rigid fingers in locking cooperation with the rigid ngers. Y

BENJAMIN G. RAND. 

